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Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Another show nearer Christmas

It was quite odd last weekend, not camping so not towing Walter off to somewhere nice Friday morning, but instead as it was a fairly local show, we got up quite early and drove to Blackdown show both days. I always forget something when travelling to a day show, as when we are away in Walter, he carries everything you could possibly need! Rex is normally just carrying us, the dogs, and their toys and leads, so we arrived at 7.30am and yes I had forgotten my wellies (for walking courses in dewy grass) but that seemed to be all.

It was a lovely venue, and the weather was perfect so I was looking forward to my 3rd show with Georgie, and also trying to aim for that 3rd win with Twiggy to move her to grade 5. The courses were all nice, the grade 6 courses challenging but flowing, and we had a great day. Lily Fudge Cake had 2 runs and she went clear in both! 100% for my best girl, and although unplaced in the jumping she was 7th in the agility. I got totally disorientated in the agility run, and spent a few seconds with her spinning in front of me while I remembered the course, so 7th was a shock!! If only I had a brain!Olli also went clear in the jumping, and also unplaced but a lovely run from my nutty Spanner. :-) Fern and Cove had a few near misses but a lovely agility run and a 4th place. Coves sister Chilli won and took herself to grade 7, which she deserves, and although Fern was chuffed for Chilli, she was kicking the ground, shoulders sagged, wondering what she can do to speed Cove up. I think its just the difference between girls and boys to be honest. Cove is careful, sweet and almost too polite to go mad in the ring, but he has so much talent and is still young so it will come. Twiggy was a star as usual and flew round the jumping, smiling and happy and finished with 3rd place and yet another trophy. She also had a lovely run in the Agility, and finished 5th so still not moving to grade 5 just yet.

Georgie has yet to have a clear in jumping. He is so focused and intense on contacts that it gives me a minute to catch up and him a second to tune in, but in jumping he just runs and I am behind so no success yet. Saturday was the same again. 5 faults in the jumping for going wide and not catching my signals, but 2 agility runs later and he was clear in both!! Another 10th (becoming a habit) and then a 9th! Moving in the right direction :-) I was thrilled because it was the first time George had come across painted contacts, not rubber, so he was a bit slow on his first dogwalk, a bit unsure of his footing but by his second run he had it sussed.Sunday and off we went again, and yes this time I forgot all the chicken carcasses I had promised to 2 people at the show!! God my brain is getting old, but thankfully they had other food for their dogs, or I would have driven home to get them!Lily and Olli were not quite so on form Sunday, so no clears for them but they had fun, we laughed and I didnt let them know they had gone wrong. They are my bestest dogs, and whatever they do they enjoy it. I saw one person in particular over the weekend, shout and swear at their dog in the ring when it went wrong, and it really upsets me. Crap handling, late signals what do you expect! Never the dogs fault always us handlers :-(In the words of one of my lovely friends from Wales "Dont complain, TRAIN!"Cove had another foot perfect agility run, and this time a 6th place. Consistently patient and honest, and still not quite in 6th gear. Twiggy had a very naughty agility run, just getting away with her contact on the A frame, and my fault 3 seconds later for trying too hard and pulled her off a tunnel so 5 faults. Eliminated in the other one, so just one last chance in the jumping to get that win, but she wasnt quite fast enough. 5th place though out of 200 dogs, so I am not complaining!!Georgie started the day with a lovely clear in agility, much more confident on the wooden contacts, and finished 6th!!!! Then in his other agility run, a flyer and 7th place!! He has changed already from his first show 3 weeks ago, where he took off like a rocket and left me behind in his dust! This weekend he was more aware that we are working as a team, so not slow but more thoughtful and steady and I felt like I was almost with him. The jumping was Grade3-4 combined, and a tricky course really. Pull throughs and missing a jump out, both things we had not come across before, so I thought we would still be waiting for that jumping clear round. I was wrong! Georgie went clear, and he finished 10th in the same class as Twiggys 5th. I was so proud going up twice, 2 dogs in the top ten, but most of all Georgie had 3 out of 3 top ten places!! 100% strike rate for my baby boy! Now that is a buzz :-)

He has had 3 shows, and is not yet 19 months old and he has been placed 10th or above at all of them. Thats a pretty good record, and I am so proud of him. He will be a winner soon I have no doubt, but there is no rush. He has a lot of growing up to do, and we have such a long happy future ahead :-)